What to Do With Wetlands--a Heated Debate

Acongressional debate over what constitutes a swamp might make it appear that things are getting bogged down on Capitol Hill. But defining America’s wetlands is a critical issue, according to environmental activist Bob Orr, who will lecture in Pasadena on Wednesday at a Sierra Club meeting.

“It’s gotten quite heated between environmentalists and developers,” Orr said. “Areas that are officially defined as wetlands fall under federal regulations as to what can be done with the land.”

A wetland is an area with standing water, or water just under the surface, for a certain number of days a year. The controversy is over how many days the land is actually wet, the level of saturation, and the types of vegetation and soil.

A more restrictive official definition would free up more land for development.

“The issue is on hold because of the elections,” Orr said. “The politicians see strong feelings on both sides, so they don’t want to step on that particular minefield before the voters go to the polls.” Orr said wetlands support about a third of the nation’s endangered plant and animal species. The regions also filtrate and cleanse water and are important for flood control, acting like a sponge to soak up excess water and release it slowly.

Orr, a Monrovia resident, became involved in the wetlands issue about three years ago when his favorite vacation spot in northeast Colorado was facing development. His interest led him to the Audubon Society, which is involved because many bird species depend on wetlands for their survival. Orr serves on the board of the society’s Pasadena chapter and is its wetlands coordinator.

His talk, with a slide presentation, will start at 7:30 p.m. at the Eaton Canyon Nature Center, 1750 N. Altadena Drive, Pasadena. Admission is free.